You Can't Handle The Truth
by ThatGuyYouKnew
Summary: Pete has a run-in with an artifact that forces him to answer any questions he's asked completely honestly. Claudia ambushes him and begins the interrogation. Small spoiler for "For The Team", "Age Before Beauty", and "Burnout". Pete/Myka.
1. Interrogation

Standard disclaimer: I own nothing. But you knew that already didn't you :)

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You Can't Handle The Truth

Pete hated being under the influence of artifacts, and this one was _by far_ the worst. Everyone else was loving it though, especially Claudia. He knew the effects would wear off eventually, and he was really starting to consider locking himself in his room until that happened. He'd even give up cookies. Well, for a little while at least. He could never give up cookies _forever_.

It all started with a routine briefing and a flight to New York, and it just went downhill from there. Someone had managed to get Hanns-Joachim Gottlob Scharff's pocket watch. They eventually snagged, bagged, and tagged the artifact, but not before the guy had used it on Pete. Now he couldn't lie about _anything_.

His stomach finally got the better of him at 3AM, so he snuck down to the kitchen as quietly as he could to find something to eat, avoiding the creaky last stair on the way. After rooting around in the refrigerator for a few minutes, he decided to just make himself a sandwich. He sat down at the table with his food and a Coke, enjoying the fact that no one was around to ask him questions.

Claudia chose that moment to walk in to the room, grinning like the cat that finally got the canary and found catnip inside. She dropped down into the chair across from Pete and folded her hands on the table, almost bouncing up and down at the prospect of getting to ask him whatever she wanted and know it was a completely honest answer. She was more excited than a kid on Christmas morning, and with her natural happiness and exuberance, that was really saying something. Claudia just sat there, letting the silence work on making Pete uncomfortable, even though she was bursting at the seams with horribly embarrassing questions.

Claudia took in a deep breath, put on her best interrogator face, and started in on him. "So Pete," she began, "What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?" She asked. She was obviously enjoying this _far_ more than she should. She couldn't wait for the answer to this one. So far, no one had really asked Pete much of anything. They thought it was funny, but at least they respected his privacy. They got little things out of him, like his first kiss (which really wasn't all that good), his first breakup (he thought the world would end), and the first girl he had ever slept with (Her name was Jessica, they were both drunk, and it didn't start, or end, well).

Pete clenched his jaw, wishing the answer wouldn't come out. _Wish in one hand,_ he thought to himself, just before he started speaking against his will. "I was really drunk one night after a really bad breakup, and this girl started hitting on me. He name was Samantha. She was pretty cute, but that could have been the alcohol. Anyway, we hit it off really well and before I knew it we were stumbling in to her place. Then I hit third base and found out Samantha used to be Samuel. The next day was my first day on the wagon."

By the end of his answer, his face could have been a tomato, it was so red. He thought he was going to die of embarrassment all over again. He had forced the event from his mind and never spoke of it again. In fact, he had requested a transfer to another city just so he _wouldn't_ run in to 'Samantha' again. He glanced up at Claudia and found an expression on her face that was completely unreadable. Then she started laughing. Hysterically. She was laughing so hard she nearly fell out of her chair.

"Pete, I didn't know you swung that way!" she choked out, wiping the tears from her eyes. That answer alone was pure gold, and definitely worth enough to get him to do pretty much whatever she wanted.

And the worst part was, she _knew_ it.

After her laughter had subsided, she looked at him with amusement still dancing in her eyes and said, "So now you're going to sit here and answer my questions, or I'm going to find this Samantha guy and tell him exactly where you are, and then let _him_ tell everyone here, in technicolor detail, about what happened that night." It was a bluff, and she knew it, but it was still enough to drain the color from Pete's face and make him stay in his chair. He definitely wouldn't risk that getting around.

After a few more embarrassing questions and even more embarrassing answers, Pete was considering the benefits of cutting out his tongue. He could always use Barnaby's Top from the warehouse to grow it back later like Artie did with his appendix.

_Time to put this plan into action,_ Claudia thought to herself. Her entire plan hinged on the answers to the next few questions. She was really hoping to get him and Myka together, thus the 3AM interrogation.

"Are you in love? And I mean a real, proper, can't make it an hour without seeing the person, think about them all the time even when they're there, _never_ get over them if they leave, love?" She was on the edge of her seat, waiting for the answer.

Pete turned white, his eyes got as wide as dinner plates, and his mind started cursing profusely as a "Yes," escaped past his traitorous lips. He wanted to run, and he was really weighing the embarrassment of everyone finding out about the Samantha/Samuel fiasco against where he knew this was going to go.

Claudia leaned forward, obviously completely interested in this conversation. She placed her hands in her lap, sat up straight in her chair, and looked at Pete for a second before she asked with a knowing smile, "Do I know her?"

Pete dropped his head and avoided her eyes and squeaked out another "Yes" before slapping his hands over his mouth, his eyes bugging out of their sockets. He clamped his hands tighter around his jaw, hoping he could muffle his answers enough she wouldn't understand them. He may not be able to lie, but he could definitely do _that_ much.

Claudia leaned forward as far as the table would allow her and asked the lynchpin question, her whole reason for not sleeping and ambushing Pete. "Are you in love with Myka?"

Unfortunately, he had to tell the truth, and he couldn't stop himself. There was the muffled sound of an answer that Claudia couldn't understand. She was almost disappointed that Pete had found a way around the artifact's effects when he suddenly started to nod his head up and down slowly, apparently against his will, if the widening of his eyes was any indication. Apparently yes or no questions could be answered in a variety of ways, and the artifact was forcing him to answer visually since he was unable to answer verbally.

Claudia smiled widely and nodded her head once, trying desperately to hide her glee and actually succeeding. She stood up, stretched, and told Pete she had all the answers she needed before heading up to bed, leaving an utterly mortified Pete sitting at the table, staring at nothing.

* * *

A/N – Should I continue this? I honestly can't decide...

Secondary A/N – Hanns-Joachim Gottlob Scharff (A.K.A. The master interrogator) was a Nazi interrogator known for being able to get any information he wanted without ever using physical means. He just talked and asked questions. Many interrogation techniques used today were developed by him. Look him up, it's pretty interesting stuff.


	2. Information Part 1

A/N – Due to wonderful support and a bit of prodding, the story shall continue! Thank you for the kind and constructive reviews, they made my day! Sorry about the delay, but I learned never to write on no sleep; it leads to funny (A.K.A. not so funny) things :).

Also, no beta. Any mistakes are mine. If you're interested in beta reading for this story (or any others in the future), send me a message.

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(Information)

By the next afternoon, the effects of the pocket watch had worn off. He was still to embarrassed to face the rest of the team though, especially Claudia. After last night's interrogation, he was seriously considering never leaving the confines of his room _ever_ again. Luckily, with no artifacts to chase, he didn't have set foot outside the safety of his room unless he absolutely had to. But that didn't stop people from trying to get him to. Even the offer of cookies couldn't entice Pete to face everyone, which was actually causing a bit of a panic. How often does Pete turn down _cookies_?

After an intense discussion and drawing straws, it was decided that Claudia would go up and see if she could figure out what was wrong. She already knew, but that was between her and Pete, and nothing would get her to spill. She was just glad that Jinxy wasn't looking at her when he asked if anyone knew what was wrong with Pete. That could have made for a very awkward conversation.

Claudia walked up the stairs and knocked on Pete's door. After a short wait and several minutes of begging on Claudia's part, Pete finally unlocked the door and let her in, closing it quietly behind her.

"Hey man, listen, I'm really sorry about last night," She said, looking supremely uncomfortable. "When I asked what your most embarrassing moment was last night I was expecting an answer along the lines of getting you pants pulled down in the middle of gym class or something." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and back again while Pete just stared at her. "Trust me, that's one I'm taking to the grave, that is if I can't find an artifact in the warehouse to scrub it completely from my mind."

Pete sighed and walked over to the bed, flopping down on it with a sigh. "If you do find an artifact that can do that, let me know. I want to do the same," he said, running his hand through his hair. He pointed a finger at Claudia and said, "You owe me big time for that by the way."

"Oh most definitely," she agreed quickly, nodding her head. "But I do have another question for you," she said hesitantly, walking over to the chair next to the bed and dropping down into it. She looked at him expectantly, obviously waiting for permission this time.

Pete looked over at her and sighed heavily. "Well I'm not being forced to tell the truth anymore, so go ahead." he said with a wave of his hand.

Claudia smiled and leaned forward in her chair, obviously excited about asking this. "When did you realize you were in love with Myka?"

Pete smiled and stared over her shoulder at nothing for a moment before starting to tell her about the fashion show in Manhattan and what he told her just before she took the runway.

* * *

A little under an hour after Claudia went to talk to Pete, he and Claudia walked down the stairs, laughing hysterically, immediately drawing everyone's attention. "Looks like you managed to cheer him up Claud," Myka smiled. "How did you do it?"

"I asked him something and bribed him with ice cream and comic books later," Claudia said with a grin. She grabbed Steve's arm and dragged him out of his chair. "C'mon Jinxy, we need to talk," she said, pulling him out the back door behind her, completely ignoring his protests.

Myka looked at Pete and asked, "What did she ask you?" She was really confused and just a little bit upset. She had tried for well over an hour to get Pete out of his room and could barely get him to talk, let alone open his door. Claudia had managed to not only gain entrance to his room, but got him out and somewhat back to the old Pete.

"Nothing," Pete answered, a bit to quickly to be true. If Myka didn't know Pete so well, she would have believed him. "I smell food," He said, turning and walking into the kitchen. The sudden change in subject and subsequent retreat of Pete left her feeling a little hurt.

"Don't worry about it Myka," Leena said softly, giving Myka's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's really nothing to get worked up over." Leena stood and started clearing the table with Myka following suit.

"I just don't understand why he won't talk to me," Myka replied quietly as she followed Leena into the kitchen. She looked around for Pete, and not finding him in the room, she continued. "He used to tell me everything." She sighed and set the dishes on the counter next to the sink. "Now I can barely get him to joke with me. I miss our bickering." she whispered softly.

"It's nothing to worry about Myka," Leena replied. "It's just going to take a little bit to get completely back in to your rhythm. You missed a lot while you were gone," she smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. Everything will be back to normal before you know it."

"I hope so," Myka answered quietly. "I think I'm going to go for a run. Clear my head a bit," she said, turning and heading up to her room to change.

"Why don't you see if Steve wants to go with you," Leena called up after her. "Give you both a chance to get to know each other a little better."

Myka thought for a second before agreeing. At the very least she wouldn't be left alone to stress out about Pete's current behavior. She went out back to find Claudia and Steve huddled together, whispering excitedly. Whatever was going on, it was good. She walked up to the duo as quietly as she could, hoping to catch part of the conversation.

"So you'll help," Claudia asked quietly. "We need to know if this even has a chance to work before we can move on to phase three."

"Yeah, I'll see what I can do," Steve replied. "I'll let you know what I dig up."

"Awesome!" Claudia was practically bouncing up and down. Myka didn't have the faintest idea what was going on, but she was close enough to be noticed, and getting caught eavesdropping wasn't going to get them to tell her anything.

"Hey Steve, I'm going to go for a run, Care to join me?" Myka asked. She was really hoping he didn't ask if she was listening in on their conversation. He really was a human lie detector, and she had already tried to fool him, and failed every time. She didn't know how he did it, but it was really disconcerting.

"Sure!" he smiled, obviously excited about the prospect of getting out of the B&B for a while. "Meet you out front in ten?"

Myka nodded and headed up to change into her running outfit. She stretched a bit and met Steve out front ten minutes later.

Neither talked during their run for the first few minutes before Steve finally looked at her and broke the silence. "So how did you and Pete end up together?" he asked with an innocent smile.

Myka's head whipped around in surprise. "Oh we're not- I mean he's- we're just-"

Steve interrupted with a small laugh. "I meant how long have you two been partnered together."

Myka paused a second before answering. "About 2 years," she said distantly, mentally going over all their time together. She started thinking about the fashion show in Manhattan and what Pete told her and smiled softly at the memory, a slight blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks.

"What's that smile for?" Steve asked innocently. Myka hadn't really been in a good mood all day, and anything that could cause her to smile and blush that quickly had to be a pretty good thought.

Myka shook off the memory and looked at Steve. "I have no idea what are you talking about," she said briskly, snapping her head around to focus on the path in front of her. She was hoping she could write off her blush as just exertion from the exercise. She didn't have any feelings for her partner. She couldn't. It was against regulations, and if there was one thing Myka never did, it was break the rules. She was _really _hoping Steve wouldn't ask if she did. That would be bad. _Very_ bad.

"That's a lie," Steve said, poking her in the shoulder. "But I'll let it go," he paused dramatically for a second before adding, "for now." They continued running in silence for a while before Steve asked, "So what all do I have to look forward to working here?"

Myka gave a small humorless chuckle and looked at Steve. "Almost dying on a weekly basis, getting affected by artifacts on a monthly basis unless you're Pete, he gets hit by something what feels like every other day, Getting shot at, thrown around, hallucinations," Myka started listing all the things that could and had happened before stopping suddenly. She leaned in a bit and looked at Steve, saying, "Actually, why don't I tell you what most likely won't happen. That list is _much_ shorter."

Steve had a slightly worried look on his face. He had figured he was going to be doing _something_ dangerous when he was offered such a secret assignment, and the scary lady wasn't lying when she offered it to him, this was definitely a world of endless wonder. He was wondering a lot of things, especially if he could _survive_ it. "Sounds good," he agreed.

Myka looked at him with such an expression of seriousness it almost startled him before saying, "Nothing. If you can imagine it, it can probably happen here." her expression suddenly turned sad and she looked down at the ground. "Pete's already died once working at this place." She sighed and looked back at Steve with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes before adding with a startling finality, "But we don't want to be anywhere else."

"Not a lie," Steve said with a small smile. They continued running in a peaceful silence before he looked at Myka with curiosity and asked, "So do you have feelings for Pete?"

Myka tensed up and almost stumbled. She forced herself to relax and thought before she answered as innocently as she could manage, "He's my best friend." She really hoped this line of questioning would stop. It could get very awkward, _very _fast.

"Not a lie, but it's a yes or no question," Steve said with a smile. This was getting better and better. "And evading a question like that would indicate a positive answer," he added.

Myka glared at him before turning forward and focusing on the path ahead.

There was a long, awkward pause before Steve whispered with a grin, "So does silence."


	3. Information Part 2

A/N - Sorry about the delay. Here's the next chapter, Hope it stands up!

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Information Part 2

The run to the end of the road was dominated by small talk, with the occasional question from Steve about their previous warehouse assignments, protocol, and what to do if there was an emergency. Her advice on emergencies was extremely simple and consisted of two words: Call Artie.

They reached the stop sign at the end of the road leading to Leena's and walked around for a moment to catch their breath. Upon turning around and starting back to the B&B, Steve picked up the conversation from the start of their run. "So why won't you just tell Pete you have feelings for him?"

"I _don't_ have feelings for him!" Myka snapped at Steve, whipping around to glare at him.

"Oh, that's a lie," Steve stated simply with a wide smile. "That's a _very_ big lie. One of the biggest I've heard in a _long_ time."

"It's not-" Myka began to protest before considering who she was talking to. She sighed heavily and looked down at the ground in embarrassment and muttering "Well, crap."

"Well, why don't you?" Steve asked, trying to steer the conversation. If he let her go off on a tangent, there was no way he was going to be able to get the answers Claudia wanted before they got back to Leena's, and there was no telling when he would have another chance to get them.

Myka let out a small sigh before answering. "Because he's my best friend and I don't want to lose that." She was quiet for a second before adding, "Besides, we're partners. Something like that would just get in the way."

Steve was silent for a minute. "I want to tell you something," he began hesitantly, wetting his lips and sighing. "While I was with the ATF, I got partnered with this guy, James. Pretty quickly after that we became best friends, did _everything_ together. About six months after we were paired up, I started... developing feelings for him, but I didn't tell him because I didn't want to lose such a valuable friend and partner." Steve got a nostalgic look on his face as his mind drifted. "He died a few months after that," he added sadly.

"Oh wow," Myka replied. "I'm sorry. Did he- Was it work-related?" She asked softly.

Steve looked at her with a sad smile before saying, "No, heart attack. The guy ate McDonald's and pizza almost every meal."

Myka let out a small humorless laugh and continued running in silence. She figured Steve would get to the reason he was telling her this pretty quickly, even though she could already see where it was going.

"The point is, and you've probably already figured it out by now, I _still_ wish I would have said something," he shook his head sadly, staring intently down the road in front of him. "Even knowing how it was going to turn out, I'll always regret keeping it a secret."

"But what if it doesn't work out," Myka asked quietly. "Or what if he doesn't feel the same way?"

Steve looked at her curiously and smiled. "Are we still talking about James and me, or are we talking about you and Pete now?"

Myka sighed and her shoulders slumped a bit. "Fine, let's say- hypothetically- that I have feelings for Pete. What if he doesn't feel the same way?" she questioned hesitantly. "Or what if he does, but it just doesn't work out?"

Steve sighed and thought about it for a moment before replying, "I guess you just have to ask yourself if you want to play it safe, or if your willing to take the risk and be happy." He let her think about that for a second before finishing, "Besides, it's not that much of a risk. Not compared to what you would gain. It's a lot harder to get over someone with all the 'what-if's running around in your head," he added. "Trust me, I know."

"Besides," he started after a minute. "You two are practically together twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week already," Steve shrugged. "The odds of you two not working out are pretty much nil," he concluded.

The rest of the run back to the B&B was in complete silence. As they walked up the driveway Myka stopped Steve and asked cautiously, "Listen, could you maybe- I don't know, _not_ tell Pete about any of this?"

Steve looked at her and smiled innocently before replying, "I promise I won't tell Pete."

"Good," Myka let out with a small laugh. "Thanks."

* * *

After a quick shower and a clean change of clothes, Steve flopped down on the bed with a sigh. Keeping up with Myka was more taxing than he was used to. He was far more comfortable with short sprints. He just started getting comfortable when he door opened and Claudia slipped inside, easing the door shut with a soft click.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to get up here," Steve said, pushing himself up against the headboard with a groan. He was sore from the waist down, and he knew it was going to feel worse tomorrow.

"Yeah, I had to get away from Pete and Myka," she replied with a sigh. "I- _unintentionally_- walked into the middle of another argument that took quite a bit of care to extricate myself from."

"What were they arguing about?" Steve asked, only mildly curious. So far he had heard about and seen many arguments concerning everything from who gets the Tesla on an assignment to basic breakfast foods. To anyone who didn't know or work with them, it really seemed like they hated each other and just enjoyed tearing the other down.

"I don't really _know_ for sure," she responded with a slightly confused look. "I _think_ it might have been about an old assignment, but it could also just have been about common zoo animals." Claudia walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Steve for a second. "Sooo," she drew out, "What did you find out, Jinksy?" she asked with a bright smile.

"I'm kinda uncomfortable betraying someone's confidence," Steve said hesitantly. "Are you sure about this?"

"Listen, Jinksy, I have it straight from the horse's mouth that Pete is head over heels in love with Myka," Claudia stated. "And if we need to push a bit to get them together, then it's worth it."

Steve was silent for a moment, lost in thought. "Well first off, she made me promise that I wouldn't tell Pete anything," Steve started cautiously.

"Well then it's a good thing I'm not Pete," she replied quickly. "So spill!" she said excitedly, bouncing up and down slightly. "If she's making you promise stuff, it must be good right?"

Steve sighed and started carefully, "Myka does have feelings for him, _but_ I don't know how strong those feelings are, and I'm not sure _she_ does either," Steve stated. "She's really worried about the possibility of them not working out and she also doubts he feels the same way." Steve got up and started pacing slowly next to the bed, stretching his legs to try and keep them from cramping. "I think right now the best thing to do is leave it alone for a bit and see what happens."

Claudia looked almost sad for a second. "But what about my plan," she questioned. "I worked hard on it."

"_If_, after a little time, nothing happens, _then_ we can continue with phase three," Steve said. "But if we move this along too quickly and try to push them together too fast, they'll know something's up and Myka will probably push back." He quit pacing and looked at Claudia seriously. "The last thing you want is Myka pushing away about this even more than she is now, right," Steve prompted, crossing his arms over his chest.

Claudia sighed and looked down in defeat. Jinksy was right, Myka definitely would push against anyone interfering with a passion unlike anything they've seen before. "Okay, so we take it slow. How long do we give it before we start pushing again?" she questioned.

Steve sighed and looked up, lost in thought. "Give it a week. Ten days tops," he started. "After that, we'll move on to the next step." He looked at Claudia curiously. "What exactly is phase three anyway?" he asked.

Claudia broke out in to a wide smile. "Oh it's good. _Definitely_ the best part."


	4. Intermission

A/N - This chapter was a bit difficult to write, hope you like it as much as the other chapters! This has been stamped and approved by Hope the Singer, My awesome new Beta! Only one more chapter after this, look for it Thursday!

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Intermission

_Day One_

Myka, Steve and Claudia were staring silently at Pete, puffy cheeks and all, in wide-eyed astonishment. "Pete, that really is quite disturbing," Myka said in disbelief. "How did you manage to get six croissants in there anyway?"

"Mmmhff mmhhnn nnhh," Pete mumbled around half a dozen bakery goods with a shrug.

Claudia and Steve got a confused look on their faces, glancing at one another. She shrugged and Steve shook his head before they turned their attention back to Pete.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Myka asked incredulously. "How could you not know how you did it?"

"Mmmmhhhhh, Mmmhff mmhhnnn mmm mmhhhh mmuuhh mmh smmhhmm mmm mmhhn," Pete mumbled, making gestures with his hands as he spoke.

"You rolled them into little balls first," Myka said, slowly nodding her head up and down. "Good idea. You even beat your old record of five," she said with a small smile.

Pete beamed proudly at the praise while Claudia and Steve looked back and forth between Myka and Pete in disbelief.

"Okay, how did you even understand that massive amount of Pete Gibberish?" Claudia asked loudly, to which Myka replied with a curt nod, "Practice. And a lot of it." Myka looked curiously at Pete for a second before she added with a teasing smile, "You know you look like a chipmunk, right?"

Claudia and Steve exchanged a knowing look as Pete mock glared at Myka. There was a short silence before Steve brought the conversation back to what they were talking about prior to Pete stuffing his mouth with a record-breaking number of croissants.

* * *

Later that day, Claudia and Steve were both down in the warehouse doing inventory, lost in their own thoughts. Neither was talking to the other, and this continued for over an hour when Claudia finally whispered, "How do they not see how perfect they are for each other?" She shook her head slowly and added, "Seriously, she can translate for him better than any of us, and he can act like a child and sometimes she even enjoys it!"

"I know, but we've already been over this, we can't push," Steve said quietly. He didn't know where Pete and Myka were, and even though the warehouse was enormous, it was better not to take any chances and say something loudly that they might overhear. "If we do, it could pull them apart and keep anything from happening between them."

"I know Jinksy," Claudia complained with a roll of her eyes. "But it's really difficult to keep my mouth shut when they do things that make me want to say 'awww'."

"I thought it was kinda difficult for you to keep your mouth shut at all," Steve teased with a smile, bumping her shoulder with his gently.

Claudia just glared at him.

* * *

_Day Two_

Pete and Myka walked out of the Univille post office late in the afternoon, bickering as usual about Pete's things not being delivered yet. Pete did get some mail though, which was a first. He was carrying a long package from his grandfather's estate tucked under his arm. He and his grandfather hadn't really spent much time together since he was a small child, but he was always the favorite with his curiosity and exuberance. They got in Myka's vehicle and drove back to the B&B, bickering and teasing each other the whole way.

It continued all the way inside and into the open dining area, where Pete set the package on the table and started opening it, ripping the paper off the box like a child on Christmas morning tearing into his presents. He opened the box quickly and pulled out an expensive looking black walking stick with an intricate silver head.

Myka looked at it curiously for a second before asking, "Why did he send that to you?"

Pete turned it over in his hands as he said, " I have no idea. I didn't even know he had something like this." He was silent for a second before he started for the stairs. "I'm going to go put this up. Want to go for ice cream later?" he called out from the steps.

"I don't eat sugar!" Myka yelled up after him.

* * *

_Day Three_

Pete woke up late in the day and stretched with a groan. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, shuddering and recoiling slightly as his feet hit the cold floor. Pete braced himself and stood up quickly, hoping he'd get over the icy floor under his feet, and fast. Moving quickly around the room, he gathered a fresh change of clothes and headed off to take a nice, hot shower.

Ten minutes later, Pete walked out of the bathroom, running a towel over his hair vigorously. He walked through the B&B, looking for someone to talk to. After half an hour of searching inside and out, he stood in the den and wondered where everyone went. Usually they at least tried to wake him up, and if they were all going to be gone, Myka or Claudia would at least leave a note. Usually. Okay, sometimes. Alright, they usually forgot more than they remembered, but if there was an emergency, _someone_ would have physically dragged him out of bed.

He looked around the room for something to do, immediately ignoring the massive amount of books all along one wall. He really wasn't much of a reader, that was more Myka's area. He spotted the piano in the corner, and took a cautious step toward it. It had been a long time since he played, and he wasn't sure he still remembered how. He looked around the room to make sure no one was around, and eased himself down on to the bench carefully. Pete lifted the lid from over the keys gingerly and pressed softly on one. The sound echoed around the room, and Pete looked around quickly, ensuring there was still no one present to listen. He sighed and sat up a little straighter, moving his fingers in to place over the keys.

Pete started playing slowly, gently pressing the keys and filling the room with a piano version of _Wild Horses _by The Rolling Stones, complete with him singing the lyrics. After a few bars, he started playing louder, more naturally and less cautiously. He lost track of his surroundings while he was playing, and with his back to the rest of the room, he never heard the door open, and took no notice of the audience he was slowly but surely gathering behind him.

Myka, Claudia, Steve, Artie, and Leena were all scattered around the room in a stunned silence. Myka was the only one who knew he used to play the piano, but none of them knew he could sing like _that_.

The song choice however, was not lost on Claudia and Steve. They both glanced at each other quickly with matching sly smiles before turning their attention back to the concert they all stumbled upon.

As Pete finished playing and silence pervaded the room once more, his audience started clapping, even Artie. Pete spun around quickly and tripped over the bench, falling to the floor with a hard thud that shook the table next to where he landed. He jumped up quickly and looked around the room in surprise and no small amount of shock and embarrassment. He really didn't think he was all that good, and definitely not good enough to receive applause.

"Where did you learn to play like that," Steve asked curiously.

Pete thought about how to respond for a second before saying, "My house," and rushing past the group to the safety and privacy of his room. With Steve present he would not be able to fudge the details of when and why he started playing. What he said was the truth in a sense though, he started teaching himself how to play after his dad died. His mom was gone a lot trying to keep herself busy and with his sister getting ready to go off to college, he had a lot more free time than he really knew what to do with. After that it didn't really feel like a home any more, it was just a place to sleep, store stuff, and visit with family when they were around. It was just another house.

Claudia, Steve, Artie, and Leena all looked around at each other in confusion while Myka walked silently in to the kitchen. Pete was usually the first to brag about being able to do something, and he played well. _Very_ well, and that just added to the confusion.

While the rest of the group was in the den trying to guess when and why Pete learned to play the piano, Myka padded up the stairs to Pete's room, carrying a plateful of cookies and two glasses of milk. It was like an all-access pass to Pete's room almost all the time, and Myka was going to make use of that to make sure everything was really okay.

And Claudia most _definitely_ noticed.

* * *

_Day Six_

Myka and Pete trudged back into the B&B covered in dirt and grime and smelling like a swamp. Myka's hair was frizzy and sticking out at odd angles, jacket ripped at the shoulder and a small cut on her cheek. She sighed heavily and walked into the den, dropping down onto the couch with a groan.

Pete followed her into the den, slumped over and limping, one arm holding his chest tightly. His jacket was in tatters, barely holding together, much like he felt at the moment. He eased himself down onto the couch next to Myka with a grimace and sighed as he leaned back against the cushions. They were both silent for a while, thinking about this last mission. As far as they were concerned, if they ever saw the city of New Orleans again, it would be far too soon.

They both looked at each other in silence before breaking out into uncontrollable laughter. Myka leaned heavily on Pete, winding her arm through his and dropping her head onto his shoulder. They both continued to chuckle sporadically before the events of the last few days caught up with them and they feel into a heavy, dreamless sleep on the couch.

* * *

A few hours later, Steve and Claudia walked into the den, talking loudly. They both stopped and froze when they spotted Pete and Myka on the couch. Somehow they had gone from sitting up and leaning against each other to stretched out across the couch. They two younger agents stared slackjawed for a moment at the sight of Myka with her head on Pete's chest, one arm wrapped around his neck and the other tucked under her. One of Pete's arms was wrapped around Myka's waist and the other around her shoulders, their legs tangled together, both sleeping soundly.

Claudia grinned maniacally at Steve and pulled her phone out of her pocket, quickly snapping a few candid shots of the two on the couch. They both jumped slightly and froze in fear when Myka made a small noise and shifted on the couch. They stood silently, waiting for the inevitable explosion from Myka that never came. Instead, she just shifted up a bit and buried her face into Pete's neck, causing him to pull her closer to him in his sleep.

They stood in the same position for a few moments after they settled before Claudia snapped a few more pictures and they both backed out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind them.

Once they were away from the door, Claudia looked at Steve with a wide smile and said, "Oh, we are so done waiting."

* * *

A few moments after the door closed, Myka sat up a little bit and said, "So, do you think they know we talked while we were gone?"

Pete eased his eyes open and looked at Myka and smiled. "I doubt it, but we'll find out soon. I don't think Claudia will leave _this_ alone," he said, gesturing between the two of them. "The question is, what are we going to do if she doesn't?"

Myka thought for a second before replying. "Well, if she's trying to get us together, then why don't we make her think her plan backfired?"

Pete smiled a bit and asked, "What did you have in mind?"


	5. Implementation

Implementation

Early the next morning Claudia was with Steve in his room ironing out the details of the plan and making a list of the things they were going to need. Claudia was going to get Pete and Myka to agree to go on a date together. The catch was making them both think that the other thought it was just a just a simple blind date. That was the hard part, considering they told each other everything, but Claudia was counting on the fact that they would both be too nervous to even accidentally say anything about it to each other. Steve's job on the other hand was setting up a romantic dinner for two out on the back deck under the stars. It seemed simple to Claudia, but Steve knew the importance of details, such as what kind of flowers to use for the centerpiece arrangement, what colors to use, what to serve, and how to do it. His days as a waiter in an upscale restaurant in New York were definitely paying off now, not that he'd ever admit that.

"Okay, I'll convince Pete and Myka and then get them out of the B&B for the rest of the day," Claudia said to Steve. They had just finished going over the plan and worked out most of the minor details that would trip them up. "You get everything ready here."

"What are we going to do about Leena and Artie?" Steve asked, looking over the list again, making sure he wasn't missing anything. "If they interrupt, the whole thing will most likely go sideways." He also wanted to keep the people seeing him as a waiter to an absolute minimum, he just wasn't going to say it.

"Let me handle that," Claudia waved her hand dismissively. That was the easy part, as Artie was practically _obsessed_ with making sure everything was still in the Warehouse on pretty much a daily basis. Not that she really blamed him for that. As dangerous as some of the stuff in there was, it wasn't really paranoia, just a very healthy caution. To Artie at least. "Leena can keep Artie busy in the Warehouse doing inventory, and convincing her to help will take a whole two seconds."

"Really?" Steve asked curiously. "Why would Leena agree to leaving the B&B for an entire evening?"

"Probably because she's as tired of those two dancing around each other just like the rest of us," Claudia said in exasperation. She really liked Jinksy, but sometimes he just asked far too many questions. Then again, sometimes he didn't ask enough, so it evened out in her mind. It still didn't make him asking too many questions any less irritating at times.

"Okay, I'll head into town and get the supplies," Steve said, sliding on his shoes. "You have fun with Pete and Myka. Give me two hours to get everything and get out of town and then do what you need to to get them out of the B&B." He stood and stretched a bit, grabbing the list, his wallet and keys off the dresser next to the door.

Claudia nodded once and slipped out of the room, followed quickly by Steve. She went off to find Pete first, convincing him would be pretty easy. Convincing Myka on the other hand could eat up almost all of her time, and she wanted to make sure she had all of her questions and answers for that particular conversation straight in her mind beforehand.

* * *

Claudia found Pete and Myka in the dining area finishing up their reports from the New Orleans mission. She walked over and tapped Pete on the shoulder, took a small step back and waited. He looked up at her curiously and she shifted a bit, pretending to be uncomfortable. "Hey man, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked softly.

"Sure," Pete said, turning in his seat to face her better. "What's up?" he asked, furrowing his brow. If it was enough to make Claudia uncomfortable, it had to be important. Myka slowed in her writing and was glancing up occasionally, curious as to what was going on.

Claudia rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, dragging him off to another room, not noticing the small smirk on Myka's face as they left or the wink Pete shot at Myka as he was lead out of the room.

* * *

Myka had just finished her report and was headed into the den with a book. She sat down on the couch and curled her feet up under her, setting the book on her lap and opening it to the marked page. She had only been reading for a few moments when Claudia walked in and shut the door behind her.

Claudia walked over to the couch and dropped down next to Myka. "What'cha reading?" she asked, leaning over closer to Myka to look at the page.

"A Tale of Two Cities," Myka replied despondently, barely registering the fact that there was someone else in the room, let alone that they were talking to her.

"Interesting choice," Claudia said halfheartedly, losing interest in the book quickly. She wasn't a big Dickens fan at all. "Hey Myka, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," she answered humorously, sliding the bookmark into her book and shutting it gently. "But I'm assuming you mean a different question?" she added with a soft smile.

Claudia hesitated for a moment. She may have gotten Pete to agree to this, but convincing Myka was going to be tricky, to say the least. "How do you feel about blind dates that are only half blind?" she asked carefully.

Myka looked confused for a second before answering. "What do you mean?" she asked cautiously.

"If I set up a blind date with someone for you, and you both knew each other, but only you knew that going in, would you say yes?" Claudia asked, backing away slightly and looking a bit fearful.

Myka sat up straight and looked Claudia in the eyes. "Claudia, what did you do?" she asked, suddenly very alert.

"Nothing!" Claudia replied far too quickly. "I just wanted to know what you thought about it."

Myka looked at her suspiciously for a second before saying slowly, "Well, I guess it would depend on who it was." She set the book off to the side and turned to face the young girl. "So who is it?" she asked.

Claudia shifted uncomfortably for a second and said, "Pete." It almost sounded like a question the way she said it.

Myka was completely still for a moment, thinking. "Okay," she finally said with a shrug.

Claudia looked a bit startled. She was expecting this to take a lot longer than that. "That's it?" she asked, still a bit shocked.

"Well it's not like I have anything better to do," Myka said with a small shrug. "And it's been forever since I've been on a date of any kind," she said, picking up her book. "Might as well use it as practice for a real date," she added, opening her book and going back to reading.

Claudia was a bit confused by this but continued anyway. "So seven o'clock tonight out back?" she asked.

"Sure," Myka said distantly, once again lost in her book. "Seven o'clock."

* * *

Claudia caught Leena in the kitchen making lemonade and walked up beside her. "Hey Leena," she started, looking at the lemons on the counter that the woman was cutting. "I need to ask a huge favor."

"I'll be gone all evening helping Artie in the Warehouse," she replied, not looking up from what she was doing.

Claudia looked surprised and said, "Well that was easy."

Leena just smiled. "I found Steve's list. He had to fill me in to get it back," she replied. "Want to give me a hand?"

"Sure, I've got time," Claudia said with a shrug. She slid the juicer over in front on her and began helping Leena make her famous lemonade.

* * *

At a quarter to seven, Steve had finally finished setting up the small round table outside on the deck, complete with a white silk tablecloth, candles, and a low centerpiece of purple lilies. He made sure the vase was low so it wouldn't block conversation, but still high enough that it wasn't invisible among the rest of the items on the table. He set a bottle of wine on a small side table and went inside to put the finishing touches on the food.

As he was adding the garnishes, Claudia walked into the kitchen and whispered to Steve, "Okay, they just sat down." She looked at the two plates and let out a low whistle. "Where did you learn how to do all this, Jinksy?" she asked, amazed at the wonderful presentation.

"Here and there," Steve replied vaguely. Picking up the plates and heading for the back door, followed closely by Claudia. They had almost reached the doorway when the sounds of arguing floated in. Very intense arguing. The two younger agents looked at each other worriedly, slightly startled at this sudden turn of events. They rushed outside just as Myka stormed past them in anger.

"What happened?" Claudia asked, in wide eyed confusion. Things had been going so well, and the sudden turn threw her off.

Pete was still staring after Myka as he said, "I have no freaking idea. I told her that dress looked great on her and somehow she took it to mean that I meant she didn't look that great normally."

Claudia looked between Pete and the door Myka disappeared through. This had not gone the way she had hoped, and now it looked like they were never going to talk again. She knew that wasn't true, they'd talk eventually, but now there was probably no hope of getting them together. Not anytime soon at least.

Claudia turned to Pete and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have interfered."

"That's right, you shouldn't have," Myka said from behind Claudia, causing the girl to jump and spin in shock, almost knocking the plates out of Steve's hands. "You should remember that next time," Myka added with a smirk.

"Wait, what?" Claudia asked, thoroughly confused. She officially had _no idea_ what was going on.

"You," Pete began, pointing a finger accusingly at Claudia with a smirk, "Were interfering and trying to get us together."

"So we," Myka continued, picking up Pete's thought. "Decided that you needed to learn to not interfere in things that are none of your business by making whatever you were going to do backfire a bit." She looked over Claudia's shoulder at Pete and asked, "Are you ready to go? We'll be late for our real date if we don't leave soon."

Pete nodded and grabbed his suit jacket off the back of the chair and walked off with Myka arm in arm, leaving Claudia and Steve staring after them, both for once completely speechless.

"What the hell just happened?" Claudia asked, dumbfounded. It wasn't often that she was this completely confused.

"You got beat at your own game," Steve replied swiftly. After a second Steve turned and handed one of the plates to Claudia, saying, "Might as well not let this go to waste, it took _forever_ to make."

* * *

A/N - This is the last chapter in this story, but that doesn't mean it's over! I'm already working on a sequel, have the first two chapters worked out, and I'll get it uploaded just as soon as I can! Also, I just wanted to say you all have been amazing readers, and thanks for all the support and reviews, they made my day every time!


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